The Research Team of EWB-UD is working to increase access to safe drinking water by constructing low-cost water filters. Throughout the past year, student members of EWB gathered every week in the STAR Modular Labs at the University of Delaware to build and test simple water filtration systems. The purpose of these water filters is to remove E. Coli and other bacterial contaminants found in the waters of Malawi. As of 2024, the current solution to this problem involves using chlorine dioxide drops to disinfect the infected water. Consequently, the off-putting taste of the chlorine raises a barrier to further community adoption.
To combat this issue, the Research Team has been experimenting with activated carbon, biochar, and UV-light water filters. During the spring of 2024, we developed a proof-of-concept water filter using activated carbon. This prototype design significantly reduced the concentration of chlorine present in water that had been treated with chlorine dioxide drops. We are currently exploring the potential of biochar as a filtration medium, both to remove chlorine and to directly treat E. coli, which often contaminates well water in EWB-UD’s partner communities in Malawi. While our short-term goal is to optimize and scale-up the water filter prototypes through iterative design, our ultimate goal is to design and implement methods to purify contaminated water in Malawian villages.
Currently, as of the Fall of 2024, the Research Team has begun experimenting with the use of biochar along with designing and upscaling their current prototype. Biochar is a form of charcoal that could serve as a substitute for activated carbon. Based on the type of biomass used in its production, biochar filters can filter a variety of contaminants found in contaminated water, including E. coli. In an effort to expand our research, we have begun experimenting with biochar water filtration systems against bacterial contaminants and chlorine disinfectants. This project is a unique opportunity for students to participate in self-driven research and get hands-on experience working with and learning from international stakeholders.
In our lab on STAR Campus, EWB Research Team members learn to prototype water filters and test water using strip tests and coliform bacteria tests. Team members also develop critical research skills—reading scientific literature, conducting experimental procedures, analyzing data, and communicating results to our wider audience, both in EWB and beyond.
Through our endeavors, we have made significant progress in our research and have taken the opportunity to showcase our work elsewhere. During the Spring of 2024, we presented our work at the local Regional Undergraduate Student Research Conference (RUSRC). In Addition, we were also present at the Delaware Environmental Institute (DENIN) Research Symposium, where we were awarded second place among undergraduate student researchers.
If you are interested in the EWB Research Team, please contact project managers Michael Earley (micearle@udel.edu) and Anu Buddhikot (abuddhi@udel.edu).
